Keyboard mechanism for registering-machines.



T. CARROLL. KEYBOARD MECHANISM FOR REGISTERING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEO.16,1905.

909,866. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

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@ M ym m fl t ima ing such as cash registers, adding machines and drawings which accompany and form part UNITED STATES THOMAS CARROLL, OF DAYTON,

OHIO, AssIeNon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER'COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO,'A CORPORATION OF OHIO (INCORPORATED IN 1906 KEYBOARD ME CHAN ISM FOR BE GISTERING-MACHINEE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application filed December 16, 19 05. Serial No. 291,973.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, THOMAS OeamoLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the'county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Keyboard Mechanisms for Registering-Machines, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

. This invention relates to improvements in keyboard devices for registering machines,

the like, and has among its objects to provide a. detent mechanism which will serve to latch an operated key in depressed position and at the same time unlock a register controlling device, this mechanism being combined with another device which will prevent misoperation or manipulation of the first mentioned mechanism.

.Vith these and incidental objects in view, the invention'consists in'certain novel features of-construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements-of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter specifically described with reference to the of this specification.

Of said drawings: Figure 1 represents a sectional view of the keyboard of a cash register to which these inventions are applied, showing one of the registering elements and the latching detent' plate, to gether with parts of the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 represents a detail view of a stop plate cotiperating with the registering element. Fig. 3 represents a detail sectional view of the keyboard showing a locking plate for efl'ecting the locking of the operating mechanism of the machine when one of the keys -is improperly operated; and Figs. 4 and 5 represent detail views of certain operating cams carried on onr of the main dri Eng shafts of the mfll'hihf lttefcr. mg to said drawings, the keys 10 are arranged in the usual form of vertical columns, one column or bank for each amount digit or other divisional use to which the keys may be'applied. These keys are inserted through the usual apertures in the keyboard j and are spring-pressed outward by the usual springs 11 to retain the keys normally in l of the present invention.

= ing lever,-so'that outward position. Each key has projecting from its side a pin 12. Cofjperating with each bank of keys is a differentially movable element 13 which may be eithera register controlling element or a recorder controlling element to efi'ect the registration of various amounts or effect, the printing of certain insignia according to the differential movements of the element 13. In the present instance this element 13 will be referred to as the registering lever, this lever being formed with teeth at its upper end meshing with a gear Wheel 14 which in turn operates a suitable counter 15 by a mechanism not necessary to describe here since it constitutes no part. This registering lever 13 also has at its upper end a pin 16 which is normally engaged by a nose 17 of a detent plate 18. The lever 13 is pivoted I upon a transverse shaft 19 and a spring 20 coiled around this shaft and bearing against a rearwardly projecting foot 21 of the lever, normally tends to throw the upper end of the lever rearward, but the engagement of the detent plate 18 with the pin 16 holds the lever from such rearward movement. The detent plate 18 is formed with a series of heads, one for each key, each of these heads having a beveled surface 22 which lies in the path of the key pin 12. This beveled edge ends in a recess 23 so that when any kev is pressed in, the action of the pin 12 against the beveled edge forces the detent plate downward against. the tension of its compression spring 24-, and as soon as the pin reaches the recess 23 the detent plate snaps back slightly to latch over the pin 12 and thus latch the key indepressed position. Thus the detent plate 18 is moved downward a certain extent under the key action, and thcnmoves upward slightly to efi ect the latching of the key, but the ultimate position of the detent plate is to such an extent below its normal position that the nose 17 is withdrawn from the path of the pin 16 and thus the registering lever 13 is free to spring rearward. The registering lever springs rearward ditl'ereir tially according to whichever key in this bank dcpresscd. This is effected by means of a stop plate 30 which is connected at its lower end with the aforesaid foot 21 of the registeras the lever springs rearward, tlnsstop plate Wl-ll be drawn longitudinally downward along the keyboard, the I stop plate 3-30 being situated side by side with the registering lever 13 and detent plate 18 release the keys, the locking disk 46 is at so that the various stop projections 31 of the stop plate may cooperate with the same key 5 pins 12. These stop pro ections are differentially arranged with reference to their respective key pins so that when any, key is depressed the stop plate may slide down a certain distance before its corresponding projection strikes the key pin to arrest the rearward movement of the registering lever 13. By this means the depression of any key, sets the registering lever 13 differentially according to the position of the key in the bank.

In order to operate the detent plate 18 to release the operated keys by the operation of the machine, a rock shaft 40 is provided. This shaft has projecting forward from it a series of arms all, one for each detent plate of the various banks, these arms having jaws "engaging a pin 42 formed on a rearward projectionon the detent plate whereby to shift the detent plate at the proper time to unlatch the operated keys and permit the same to return to normal outward position. Projecting rearward from said shaft 40 is a pawl 43 formed with a nose 44- lying in the path of a releasing cam 45 fast upon the-side of a locking dis 46 (see also Fig. 5), the purpose of which disk will be presently described. This disk 4:6 is fast upon a shaft 47 which constitutes one of the main driving shafts of the machine and may be operated by means of any suitable gearing from the main operating handle of the machine, such mechanism not being necessary to describe herein. \Vhen this shaft 47 is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, the cam 45 strikes the nose 44 of the arm 43 and rocks the arm 41 do'wnward so as to shift the detent plates 18downward against the tension of their springs, and thus release the depressed keys. Also depending from and fast to the rock shaft 40 is a locking arm 50 carrying at its lower end :1 lug 51. This lug projects laterally into alineinent with the locking disk 46. lVhen any key is depressed, the downward movement of the dctcnt'plate 18 will act through the arm cl to rock the shaft 40 to throw the lug 51 toward the locking disk 46. When the key pin 12 is passing over the extremity of its beveled nose, the shaft 40 is rocked to such an ektent that the lug 51 will be carried underneath the shoulder 52 formed on the locking disk 46, thus looking the shaft 47 and the machine from operation. As soon however, as the detent plate has settled back slightly to latch the key in depressed position by the engagement of the recess 23 over the pin12, this carries the lug 5] again slightly forward so that it stands just. free of "tlk edge of the locking shoulder 52 and thus is in position to permit the machine to be operated. When the shaft 4'2 has been revolved far enough to cause the cam 4-5 to operate the nose t'and thereby rock the shaft 401:0

the recess 23 engaging the key pin 12, the

nose 1'? of the detent plate is retracted downward far enough to unlock the registering lever 13 as above described. In this situation, however, theregistering lever 13 is not yet allowed to drop, being held up by a restoring bar 60 which engages on the rearward side of the lever near its lower extremity. This bar is reciprocated at each operation of the machine, being first withdrawn rearward sufiiciently to permit such of the registering levers as have been released, to drop to their differential positions, and then the restoring bar is returned to normal forward position whereby to return all. of the registering levers also to normal forward position. The exact means for operating such a restoring bar it is not necessary to describe herein since in itself it does not form part of the present inventions except insofar as it lends points of advantage to the present improvements. From this construction it will be apparent that even though a. key in a certain bank has been pressed in, its registering lever will not drop although the nose 17 of the detent plate is removed from the path of the pin 16. Therefore if a mistake has been made in the pressing-in of a key in this bank, this key may be released by simply tapping another key in this bank to operate the beveled detent plate sufiiciently to release the forn'ierly depressed key, this being an example of the so-called flexible keyboard in not quite to the full extent of carrying its pin 12 along the beveled edge 22, the detent plate would by this means be moved downward sullicicntly to withdraw the nose 1? from engagement with the pin 16, this position of the plate 18 being the same in downward extent as if the pin 12 were engaged by the recess 23. hen the key and plate, are in this position just described, the registering lever 13 would be unlocked but the key 'would not be latched in depressed position; therefore upon the operaion of the machine, with the withdrawal of the restoring bar 60, this registering lever would drop and urea the key might be :Jlllltttl out or allowed to spring back to its normal outward position and apparently from the looks of the keyboard no reg1stration would have been onto-ed whereas in F ig. 1 is an arm 74 having av locln as its rearward end.

aooga'ae reality by this careless operation or misoperation, the registering lever would have dropped to its fullest extent and would,

have made an entry in the machine. prevent any such inisoporation, a locking late is provided as shown in Fig. 3. This ockingr plate 70 is also mounted side by side with the other plates and is formed with a series of noses 71. Projecting rearwardly from the lower extremity of this plate is a foot which i engaged by an arm 72 mounted upon a rock shaft 73, there being one of these arms 72 for each bank of keys. jectin rearward from this rock shift 73 {sec nose 5 hilounted upon 74 15a pawl 76 which is normally spring pressed upward by a compression spring 77? alsomounted upon the arm 74. This pawl. 76 has an upwardly extendino' nose which is in alinement with a cam disk 78 (see also Fly. 4) which disk is fast upon the aforesaid shaft 47. Fast upon the disk 78 is a locking plate 79 which stands in alinemcnt with the locking nose 75 of the arm 74 Upon, the initial operation of the machine, the rotation of the shaft e17 causes the disk 78 to act against the pawl 76 and force the same downward. This pawl through the spring 77 then acts upon the arm 74.- to rock the shaft 73 which in turn rocks the arm '72 to carry each of the locking plates 70 upward. In the normal outward and unoperated position of the keys, the hey pins 12 stand forward of the variouslocking noses 71 of the locking plate so that the plate is free to he reciprocated upward in this man ner. Also .if any key is completely depressed, the shape of the enlarged recess below the corresponding nose 71 is such that the plate 70 can still be reciprocated upward without hindrance. -When however, any key is partially depressed in the manner above outlined so as to carry it inward in order suflicie ntly to move the detent plate 18 downward to vunlatch the registering lever 13 without moving the hey pin far enough inward'to be latched by the detent plate, this partial depression of the key will, as shown by the key 80 in Fig. 3, bring its key pin directly into the path of the corresponding nose 71 of the locking plate. In

' such a situation it the machineis started in its operation and the shaft 47 begins to re- YQlVB, the disk 78 will,- as before, press against the pawl 76, but, the arm 74 cannot now move downward because the locking plate is held locked against the key pin. Therefore the pawl 76 is simply depressed against the compression of its spring 77. Howevefsince the arm 74 has not now been depressed, this leaves the locking nose still in the path of the locking lug 79 so that the lug locks against said nose and the I l I r I machine is securely locked against further operation and cannot be completely operated until the partially depressed key is fully returned completely to normal outward position or completely to normal inner position. A suitable spring 81 tends to restore the arm 74 and locking plate 70 to normal lower position. From the shape of the disk 7 8 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 4) it will be seen that the arm 74 will be held downward and the locking plate 70 will be held shifted upward over tion of the revolution of soon as the disk .78 is rotated so that the enlarged portion thereof is carried beyond the pawl 76, the arm 74 is free to return to upper position and the locking plates 70 to normal lower position. This is timed to occur before the latching detcnt plate 18 is shifteddownwardto release the keys, so that the locking plate 70 does not in any way serve as a latching plate, but simply performs this locking function to prevent the operation of the machine when any key is only artially depressed suihciently to un'latch the registering element without at the same time latching the key in depressed position.

lVhile the form of mechanism here shown and described is admirably adapted to fultil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confifie the invention to the one form of embodi ment heroin disclosed, for it is'su'sceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of claims which follow.

In ace-pending application, Serial No. applicant on De camber 23, 1905, there is shown and described term of keyboard iechanism having certain features in common with the mechanism shown in present case, and it is desired that the broad claims common to the subject matter ofthese two cases shall be contained in the present application.

What is claimed is: 1. in a key board mechanism for accountin; machines and the like, the combination with a main operating mechanism, of a series of keys and an accounting element controlled thereby, means fornormally locking said accountingelement, a detent member having provisions for latching said keys in depressed position and for opera-ting said locking means, and means for preventing the operation of the operating mechanism when any key is in a partially depressed position.

2 In a. keyboard mechanism for accounting machines and the like, 'the combination with a series of keys and a normally locked accounting clement controlled thereby. of a detent member having-provisions for'latchinn said keys in depressed position and for unlocking said accounting element when said dctcnt is in key-latching position an operating mechanism; and means fol-docking said iism; and means for locking said operating mechanism from operation when any key is depressed to such an extent as to move said detent member sufiiciently to unlock the accounting element without the attendant latching of the key.

4:; In a keyboard mechanism for account ing machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting element controlled thereby, of a detent member having an extension normally engaging said accounting element to lock the same, said detent also being formed with beveled and notched projections acted upon by said keys to move the detent out of locking engagement with said accounting element while said detent at the same time latches the key n depressed position; an operating device; and means for locking said operating device when any key is partially depressed to disengage the detent inemberfrom said ac-- counting element. 1 5. In a keyboard mechanism for accountin'g machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting element controlled thereby, of a detent member having an Y- extension for normally locking said accounting element, said detent being positioned to be actedupon by said keys to be displaced a certain extent and=then moved backward to a fractional degree thereof whereby to latch the depressed key in opera'ted position and at the same time leave the accounting element unlocked; and means for preventing the operation of the machine when any key is in a partially depressed position.

6. In a keyboard mechanism for accounting machines and the-like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting element controlled thereby, of a detent member having an extension for normally locking said accounting element, said dctent being positioned to be acted upon by said keys to be displaced a certain extent and then moved backward to a fractional degree thereof whereby to latch the depressed key in operated position and at the same time leave the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; and a locking member connected with and moved by said operating device, with provisions for preventing the operation of said locking member and thus locking the operating device when any key is in partially depressed position. I

ceases backward to a fractional de ree thereof b whereby to latch the depressed key in operated position and at the same time leave the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; and a locking plate normally moved by said operating device, with provisions co-existing between said plate and said keys for obstructing the movement of. the plate when any key is in partially depressed position whereby to lock said operatlng device.

8. In a keyboard mechanism for accounting machines and the like, the combination with series keys, and an accounting ele ment controlled thereby, of a detent memher having an extension for normally locking said accounting element, said detent being positioned to be acted upon by said keys to be displaced a certain extent and then moved backward to a fractional degree thereof whereby to latch the depressed key in operated position and at the same time leave the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; projections extending from said keys; and a locking plate cotiperating with said projections and moved by said operat ing device, said plate being formed with recesses shaped to lock the plate and the operating device from movement when a key is partially depressed but to permit free movement of the plate and operating device when a, key is undepressed or fully depressed.

9. In a keyboard mechanism for accounting machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, ea h formed with pro jections extending therefrom, and an accounting element controlled by said keys, of a detent plate having an extension for normally locking said accounting element, said detent plate being formed with beveled surfaces cooperating with said key projections, and also being formed with latching recesses, .said recesses being of such extent as'to leave the detent plate displaced from normal position when any key is latched in depressed position, and thereby leaving the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; and a locking plate moved by said operating device and having provisions cotiperating with the aforesaid key projections for locking the operating device when any key is in partially depressed position.

10. In a keyboard mechanism for account-- ing machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting element controlled thereby, of a detent member ment controlled thereby, of a detent memher having provisions for latching said keys mechanism in depressed position and for unlocking said accounting element when said dctene is in key-latching position; an. operating mechan-' ism; means operated by for retaining said accounting element in. normal position independently of itsreleased condition by said keys; and means for locking said operating mechanism from operation when. anykey is depressed to such member snficiently to unlock the accounting element without the attendantlatching of the key.

12. In a keyboard meciianism for accounting machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting element controlled thereby, of a detent mem her having an extension for normally locking said accounting clement, said detent being positioned to be acted upon by said keys to be displaced a certain extent and then moved backward to a fractional degree thereof whereby to latch the depressed key in operated position and at the same time leave the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; and means for locking, said operating device at the time when the detent memher is being displaced to its greatest extent preparatory to its reverse movement for latching the depressed key.

13. Ina keyboard mechanism for account ing machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an accounting elementcontrolled thereby, of a detent memher having an extenswn for normally l0ck-.

mg said accounting element, said detent being positioned to be acted upon by said keys to be displaced a certain extent and then moved backward to ,a fractional degree thereof whereby to latch the depressedkey in operated position and at the same time leave the accounting elem-ent unlockeo; an operating device; operating device at the time when the detent member is being displaced to its greatest extent preparatory to its reverse movement for latching the depressed key; and independent means for locking said operating device while the key is in partiallydepressed position and the first-mentioned locking device has not become effective.

M. In a keyboard mechanism for accountmeans for locking said whereby to latch the depressed key in. depressed position and at the same time leave said operating 3 an extent as to move said detent the accounting element unlocked; an operating device; means for locking said operating device at the time when the detent member is being displaced to its greatest extent preparatory to its reverse movement for latch- .ing the depressed key; and'a locking plate moved by said operating device and having provisions for locking the operating device when a key is partially depressed prior to the first-mentioned locking device becoming effective, said provisions also permitting the unobstructed movement of said locking plate by the operating device when a key is on depressed or is in fully depressed position,

15. In a keyboard mechanism for accounting machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an operating device, of a locking plate cotiperating with aid keys and controlling said operating de-' vice; means for moving said locking plate at each operation of said operating device; and means for obstructing the movement of said locking-plate and thereby locking said operating device when any key is in partially depressed position. i

16. In a keyboard mechanism for accounting machinesand the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an operating device, of a locking member cooperating with said keys, a spring-pressed element connected with said locking member and operated upon by said operating device to actuate the locking member; and means also associated with said connections for locking said operating device when the locking member is ob 17. Ina keyboard mechanism foraccounting machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an operating deplate having blocking provisions cooperating'with said keys; a lever for reciprocating said plate; a springpressed pawl mounted upon said lever; an actuating cam connected with said operating device for acting upon said spring-pressed pawl to reciprocate said plate; and a locking projection extending from said lever to lock said operating device when the locking plate i is blocked by a depressed key.

18. In akey board mechanism for accounting machines and the like, the combination with a series of keys, and an operating device, of means for blocking said device, but

$adaptedto be moved. from. blocking position by said device, and a plate moved with said 'said blocking device with a series of keys,

blocking device, constructed to engage said keys when they are partially depressed and thereby prevent the moving of said blocking devices.

19. In a key board mechanism for accountingmachines and the like, the combination With a series of keys, and an operating de vice, of blocking means for said operating evice constructed to be moved out of the path of said device, and means connected to and constructed to engage said keys when they are partiall Y oper ated to prevent movement of said blocking device.

20. In a key board mechanism for accounting machines and the like, the combination of an operating device, means for blocking said operating device, a plate connected to said blocking means anranged to move past said keys, means con- ,nected to said operating device to Withdraw said blocking device from blocking position,

21. In a key board mechanism t'oi' account ing machines and the like, the combination With a series of keys, and a registering elellent controlled thereb of means for lock ing said element constructed to be released by said keys, an operating device, and means for blocking said operating device when any of said keys is in partially depressed position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in. the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CARROLL. 

